


I Said No

by pr3tty_pumpk1n



Category: Original Work
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Established Relationship, Gen, How Do I Tag, If You Squint - Freeform, I’ve been waiting to use ao3 tags, M/M, My First Fanfic, One Shot, Referenced schizophenia, Schizophrenic character, Short One Shot, Spirits, This was an assignment, apparitions - Freeform, but not really, horror??, like really hard, moderately self-indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-28
Updated: 2020-02-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:20:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22943953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pr3tty_pumpk1n/pseuds/pr3tty_pumpk1n
Summary: Just a short semi-horror fic.
Relationships: Nicola Yarrow/Mihai Ardlean
Comments: 3
Kudos: 3





	I Said No

**Author's Note:**

> My first post on AO3! I had it sitting in my reservoirs, so I decided to just pop it up.

"The trees are watching us again," the passenger mentioned without prompt. Nicola briefly glanced over at the other before returning his gaze to the white gale of snow. The trees that loomed on each side of their car did little to shield them from the unforgiving weather. "Which ones, Mihai?" He asked lightly, carefully turning down another slick road to reach their home. Mihai was silent for a moment, squinting as he looked through the windows; the elder of the two was unsure how he was able to see through the gloom of winter. "All of them this time. I think the Black Man is angry with us. They're always active when he is." 

Nicola tucked a piece of his own curly, red hair behind his ear before turning off the music; only the sounds of the heater and the wind were left. "Would you like to hold my hand? Maybe if he notices that we're happy, he won't be upset," he hummed, more so to distract the other than anything else. Mihai shook his head, dark eyes watching their surroundings. "No. Not this time. He won't be appeased this time."

A branch hit the windshield. 

Nicola's eyes skimmed over at the treeline he had been gradually straying towards before correcting his trajectory. "Why not?" Mihai shook his head more fervently, silken black hair whirling around his porcelain skin. "Not this time. No, not this time. He's angry. I can feel it, Nic." His mumbles increased in volume and intensity; the wind beat against the car, howling. Nicola slipped his phone out of his pocket and moved to dial 911 before he realized that it was dead. He swore he charged it before they left for the psychiatrist's office. 

Mentally calculating the route to the hospital, he nodded along to Mihai's words. "I can't feel it, Mihai. Can you explain it to me?" He asked placidly before glancing in the rearview mirror to assess how much room he had to turn around in. A figure stared back at him from the red haze of the tail light. He physically whirled around, hazel eyes wide. No one was there. He turned back around and urged the car faster, hands trembling as they gripped the wheel. He would make the call from home.

The _tink tink tink_ of branches against their car drew his attention to the once more nearing treeline. Mihai ignored his question. "He's watching you, Nicola," he whispered before repeating the phrase, louder. He ignored the lump in his throat. "They're watching, Nicola— they're watching, Nicola!" Mihai's voice rose to a shrill shriek, and all he could think to respond with was a feeble, "Mihai, I thought you took your medicine today." Mihai looked over at him with a wild gaze, and he tried not to make eye contact. "The Black Man said no. The Black Man said no— _HE SAID NO!"_

The car hit a tree. Both of them jerked in their seats, and the airbags swelled up. For a few moments, all Nicola could do was struggle to breathe. Then it was deflating, and he looked over at Mihai— _Mihai was gone_ , the door wide open. The other was unbuckling and lurching out of the car in seconds, eyes wide and hysterical. The snow whipped around him, furnishing his sienna skin with a red hue within seconds. His cry of the other's name was lost to the wind, and he staggered under its intensity. He hugged himself, frozen tears slipping down his cheeks and stinging his skin.

Nicola stumbled around the car in search of footprints, teeth chattering under the intensity of the penetrative chill. He soundlessly exhaled when he found them, hurrying after the trail that lead into the treeline. Trees and plants pricked at his skin; he ignored them in favor of following the tracks. A stray branch grabbed onto his sleeve, and he harshly tugged to dislodge it. He stumbled into something warm. A relieved sob tore from him, and he wrapped his arms around it; its limbs encircled him in turn. The wind died down. "Mihai, I thought I lost you," he breathed into its chest. "Let's go home now, okay?" 

His relief was short-lived, replaced by an ever-growing sense of unease. Its arms were too large. Its chest was too firm; Mihai was shorter than him— his face should be buried in his hair, _Mihai was shorter than him_. Claws traced along his back, directly behind Nicola’s heart, and he felt the being contort and shift as it leaned down; its breath was warm against his ear. "I said no."

**Author's Note:**

> I personally don’t know anyone with schizophrenia— I only looked things up— so if I referenced it incorrectly or could have done something differently, please inform me! I’m not here to offend, misinform, or mislead anyone.


End file.
